A Society on the Nile
1) Where did the ancient Egyptian civilization emerge? (Pg. 90)
In the Nile River Valley (North East Africa)
4) What purpose did pyramids serve in Egyptian culture? (Pg. 99)
They served as tombs for dead Egyptian rulers.
8) Explain the significance of Hatshepsut’s reign. (Pg. 107)
She was history’s earliest well-known female pharaoh. She fought wars to expand the empire and promoted trade. During her reign, Egypt’s economy was wealthy, which funded great building projects.
12) What are hieroglyphs and how did the Egyptians use them? (Pg. 114)
Hieroglyphs were pictures representing objects, sounds, or ideas. They were combined to form words.
14) What was the importance of the Rosetta Stone? (Pg. 114)
It allowed scholars to figure out what the hieroglyphs meant.
2) Which conditions allowed agriculture to develop in ancient Egypt? (Pg. 90)
The predictable flooding of the Nile River because it left behind a layer of silt which made the soil fertile to grow crops.
5) Explain some of the key religious practices of the Egyptians. (Pg. 100)
Like the ancient Mesopotamians, the Egyptians believed in Polytheism. The bodies of pharaohs and other powerful people were mummified. Beliefs in the gods and the afterlife encouraged Egyptians to lead good lives.
Define: pharaoh
the title used for Egyptian kings. He had complete authority over all aspects of Egyptian life.
13) What role did scribes serve and how were they viewed in Egyptian society? (Pg. 114)
Scribes were professional writers, and were among the most highly respected people in Egypt.
15) Why did Egyptian doctors possess a detailed understanding of human anatomy? (Pg. 116)
Due to their practice of mummifying bodies.
3) Identify three powers held by pharaohs in ancient Egypt. (Pg. 94)
Pharaohs had complete control over religious, civil, and military matters.
Pharaohs had the power of life and death over everyone in Egypt.
Pharaohs were believed to be living gods.
6) Under the rule of Mentuhotep, how did life in Egypt during the Middle Kingdom improve? (Pg. 104)
It was a time of peace and prosperity. The building of great monuments including pyramids took place, and trade networks expanded greatly.
9) What weakened Egypt’s power after the death of Ramses II? (Pg. 108)
Ruling dynasty members fought with each other.
Egypt was repeatedly invaded by the sea people.
Egypt was conquered by various foreign powers.
16) Explain how Egyptian astronomers organized their calendar. (Pg. 116)
It had 365 days, and it had 12 month years.
Define: papyrus
a paper-like material made from reeds
It makes irrigation easier for farmers to effortlessly lift water to their fields.
7) After driving the Hyksos out of Egypt, what did the pharaohs set out to accomplish? (Pg. 104)
They armed their military and set out to build an empire.
10) Explain the significance of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. (Pg. 111)
Tut’s tomb was the first-ever intact royal tomb to be discovered. The unique and priceless treasures of his tomb have taught us a lot about the boy king, the pharaohs, and ancient Egypt. The treasures found in his tomb suggest that the afterlife was much like life on Earth.
17) What contributions did the ancient Egyptians make to mathematics? (Pg. 116)
They used a decimal counting system.
They established key principles of geometry. They had a base ten number system.
Define: hierarchy
people belonging to different social classes. Each class has a different rank in society.
Define: delta
a triangular shape where a river fans out into various branches as it flows into a body of water.
Define: vizier
a pharaoh's most important chief officials.
11) How did rulers from Kush continue classical Egyptian traditions? (Pg. 112)
They built pyramids
Mummified their dead
Worshiped egyptian gods
18) What is the “golden ratio” and how is it used? (Pg. 118)
It is a mathematical formula used to help architects achieve the most pleasing proportions when designing structures.
Define: pyramid
a massive monumental tomb for the body of a pharaoh.